Snakes finish first road trip of season

November 8, 2004 - SPHL (SPHL)
Columbus Cottonmouths News Release


COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Columbus Cottonmouths have returned home from a weekend road trip to North Carolina, facing Fayetteville last Friday night and Winston-Salem last Saturday night. The Snakes fell to the FireAntz 4-2 on Friday night and were defeated by the Polar Twins 4-3 on Saturday, despite Tim Green notching the first hat trick in Cottonmouths SPHL history. Columbus returns to home ice this weekend for a pair of games, as they face the Jacksonville Barracudas on Friday night and the Winston-Salem Polar Twins on Saturday night. The puck drops both nights at 7:30 PM EST.

CURRENT RECORDS AND STATS

Last Week: 0-2 (0)
Record: 1-3, 2 points (T-6th, SPHL)
11 GF, 18 GA
13.0% PP (7th, SPHL); 72.0% PK (7th, SPHL)

LAST WEEK'S TRANSACTIONS

11/3 – Released D Kyle Ross; activated D Ryan Aikia

UPCOMING GAMES AND PROMOTIONS

Friday, November 12 – Jacksonville at Columbus, 7:30 PM EST

The Cottonmouths play their third home game of the season on Friday night against the Jacksonville Barracudas, the first meeting this season between the two teams. The Barracudas are the only undefeated team left in the SPHL as they are a perfect 4-0. Jacksonville's schedule contains all road games until November 26, when Columbus visits Jacksonville for the Barracudas' home opener. The game marks the first of three games of the "Three for Three" canned food drive sponsored by the Valley Rescue Mission, WRBL Channel 3 and Nextel, where three canned goods are good for $3 off an upper-level ticket for all home games in November.

Saturday, November 13 – Winston-Salem at Columbus, 7:30 PM EST

Columbus continues their homestand on Saturday night with a game against the Winston-Salem Polar Twins, marking the second meeting between the two teams after a 4-3 Snakes loss in Winston-Salem last Saturday. The Cottonmouths continue their "Three for Three" drive on Saturday night as well.

COTTONMOUTHS WEEK IN REVIEW

Friday, November 5 – Columbus 2 at Fayetteville 4 (Attendance: 2,234)

Columbus fell to the Fayetteville FireAntz 4-2 on Friday night at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, N.C. The FireAntz came out of the gate firing on all cylinders as they built a 3-0 lead after one period of play. Ryan Haggarty scored the lone goal for either team in the second period, and Orrin Hergott scored a power play goal in the third period to once again bring the Snakes within two after Fayetteville's fourth goal. Chad Rycroft stopped 28 of 32 shots in his professional debut in net for the Snakes, while Chad Collins stopped 41 of 43 between the pipes for the FireAntz. There were eighteen total power play chances for both teams as 124 total penalty minutes were dished out. Columbus finished 1 for 10 with the man advantage while Fayetteville was held scoreless in their eight power play chances.

Saturday, November 6 – Columbus 3 at Winston-Salem 4 (Attendance: 1,450)

Despite a hat trick by Tim Green, playing in his first game since suffering an injury in the Snakes' home opener on October 29, the Cottonmouths fell to the Polar Twins 4-3 on Saturday night in Winston-Salem, N.C. After trailing 2-0 after a period of play, Winston-Salem scored three unanswered goals in the second period, two of which were on power play opportunities. After Green tied the game in the third period with his hat trick goal, the Polar Twins answered with another goal on the man advantage with less than three minutes left in regulation to earn the win. Like Friday night, the game was penalty-filled on both sides as the two teams combined for 51 total penalty minutes in the second period and 70 in all. The Snakes were held scoreless on their five power play chances while the Polar Twins finished 3 for 10 with the man advantage. Terry Friesen took the loss in net for Columbus despite turning away 32 of the 36 shots on goal he faced, while Nathan Grobins, playing in his first game for Winston-Salem, earned the win with 31 saves on 34 shots by Columbus.

THREE STARS OF THE WEEK

1. F Tim Green – In his first game back since suffering an injury in the season opener, Green provided all the offense for the Snakes on Saturday night against the Polar Twins with the first hat trick in Columbus SPHL history.

2. F Tylor Keller – Keller had a three-point weekend with an assist on Friday in Fayetteville and a pair of helpers Saturday night in Winston-Salem.

3. F Craig Stahl – Stahl was the only Cottonmouth to finish with a positive plus-minus in each of the two games over the weekend, finishing +4 overall in both games. He also had an assist in Fayetteville on Friday night.



SPHL Stories from November 8, 2004


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